California Worldfest
Founded by Dan DeWayne and Christine Myers in 1997, WorldFest came under the umbrella of Grass Valley’s arts powerhouse, The Center for the Arts, in 2015. Since 2000, The Center for the Arts, a non-profit performing arts organization, has grown into a leading presenter of music, dance, theater, comedy, literary, visual art and family programming managing a 21,000 square foot venue in downtown Grass Valley and presenting over 150 events per year. In 2014, The Center purchased California WorldFest from Dan DeWayne and Christine Meyers. Dan and Christine selected The Center to purchase and inherit theor over 20 year old festival because as DeWayne says, “Their commitment to the local community, strong board, vast experience in presenting diverse performers, and our shared values of family-first make them the perfect match for continuing WorldFest for years to come.” Drawing inspiration from the Vancouver Folk Festival, Strawberry Music Festival, MerleFest in North Carolina, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, and the Newport Folk Festival, the California WorldFest includes eight performance stages, a complete children’s program, a community outreach history and a pledge to present the finest artists and performers from throughout our world. From Afro/Pop to Bulgarian Harmonies, Latin to Bluegrass, Scottish fiddle tunes to Rock & Roll, Jumpin’ Jazz to Gypsy, Folk to New Acoustic, Mariachi to Russian Folk, Swing Jazz to Gospel, Bollywood to the newest Celtic incarnations, the California WorldFest is the home of our globes finest music and dance. Past Performers at the California WorldFest have included: 2016 Boz Scaggs Third World Nahko & Medicine for the People Delhi 2 Dublin Emel Mathlouthi Boogat Fanna-Fi-Allah Awa Sangho Mariachi Flor De Toloache Joe Kye Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams Peter Mawanga & the Amaravi Movement Dustin Thomas Baskery Nano Stern Los Pinguos My Bubba Kanekoa MaMuse Sambadá Joy & Madness Mystafya Liz Vice Sahba Motallebi Dead Winter Carpenters Eva Salina The Suitcase Junket Élage Diouf Dana Louise & The Glorious Birds Salt Petal Lee Bob & The Truth Sihasin Dirty Revival Earth Guardians Rattlin’ Bones Rita Hosking The Rayos The Fearless Kin Grass Valley Taiko BuckStar Banana Slug String Band Secret Agent 23 Skidoo 2015 Achilles Wheel Beats Antique Birds Of Chicago Boca Do Rio Brett Shady Band Brian Hartman – Heartbass Buffy Sainte-Marie Dakhabrakha Daniel Champagne Dengue Fever Ed Masuga Emisunshine Honey Of The Heart Izzi Tooinsky – The Wild Man Jeffrey Wanzer Dupra John Trudell & Bad Dog Joy & Madness Justin Ancheta Band Kacey Johansing Las Cafeteras Lolo Gervais London Jax Lucinda Williams Band Makana MaMuse MaMuse – Singing Workshop Mariee Sioux Musical Robot Nadi – Travelers Music Native Musicians Nick Fedoroff Portland Cello Project Richard Thompson Rocky Dawuni Samba Drop Saritah Sean Hayes Secret Agent 23 Skidoo Sunmonks The Heifer Belles The Sam Chase Todo Mundo Tuba Skinny Village Song Ensemble Wild & Scenic Film Festival Worldfest Chorus 2014 Achilles Wheel Antsy Mcclain Banana Slug String Band Benyoro Brother Carlos Nunez Claire Lynch Band Clowns Not Bombs Circus Delhi 2 Dublin Hapa Incendio Jaffa Road Led Kaapana Los Lonely Boys Mamajowali Matt Andersen Matuto Mia Dyson Ozomatli Pacific Curls Patchy Sanders Perla Batalla Professor Merloch Silvermaine Red Chamber Sambada The Kruger Brothers The Mondegreens There Is No Mountain Yuna 2013 Alasdair Fraser Alison Brown Quartet Badi Assad Band Banana Slug String Band Briga Brittni Paiva Bruce Cockburn Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers Daughters & Daddies Delhi 2 Dublin Incendio Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys Leftover Cuties Mamajowali MaMuse Martha Redbone Roots Project Masanga Marimba Ensemble Moshav Peter Wilson & John Girton Pink Martini Professor Merloch Silvermaine Rita Hosking & Cousin Jack Runa The Brothers Comatose The Novelists Tibetan Monks Of The Mystical Arts Of Tibet Vieux Farka Toure Y La Bamba Yemen Blues 2012 Amanda Shaw & The Cute Guys Ani Difranco Break Of Reality Brittni Paiva Cake Califa California Guitar Trio Delhi 2 Dublin Earth’s Dinosaur Petting Zoo Fishtank Ensemble Fudan University Dance Troupe Fudan University Glee Club Jessica Fichot Joe Craven Trio Locura MaMuse Matt Andersen Meklit Hadero Mumbo Gumbo New York Gypsy All Stars Nigerian Brothers Novalima Professor Merloch Silvermaine Quetzal Rosie Burgess Trio Rupa & The April Fishes Ruth Moody Talavya The Kruger Brothers The Railflowers Tommy Emmanuel 2011 Andrew York Banana Slug String Band Bluehouse Brass Mafia Cafe Musique David Grisman Bluegrass Experience Delhi 2 Dublin Doc Severinsen & San Miguel 5 Good Lovelies Handful Of Luvin India.Arie And Idan Raichel Jake Shimabukuro Jez Lowe Khaira Arby & Her Band Limpopo Locura Los Llaneros Nanci Griffith Pistolera Plena Libre Professor Merloch Silvermaine Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem Rosie Burgess Trio Salaam Ensemble Sambada’ Sid Lewis’ Jammin’ 101 Steve Riley & Mamou Playboys The Greencards The Railflowers Troika Folk Dance Band Village Folk Orkestra Zili Misik 2010 Banana Slug String Band Alejo Aponte & Latonera Baskery Chic Gamine Christine & Rob Bonner Depedro Dobet Gnahor Genticorum George Kahumoku Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys Joe Craven Juan De Marcos & Afro-Cuban All Stars Katia Moraes & Sambaguru Keb’ Mo’ Kusun Ensemble Los Cenzontles MaMuse Marc Atkinson Trio Masanga Marimba Ensemble Mia Dyson Parno Graszt Perla Batalla Professor Merloch Silvermaine Raul Midon Sourdough Slim With Robert Armstrong Tannahill Weavers That 1 Guy Troika Folk Dance Band Ziggy Marley Zili Misik 2009 Banana Slug String Band Akabella Bearfoot Bluehouse Del Castillo Done Gone String Band Fishtank Ensemble Gokh-Bi System Gordy Ohliger Handful Of Luvin Indigo Girls Issa Bagayogo Jackie Greene & Tim Bluhm, Skinny Singers Joe Craven John Cruz Ledward Kaapana Leroy Bell & His Only Friends Los Lobos Lura MaMuse Markus James & The Wassonrai Morley Old Blind Dogs On Ensemble Radim Zenkl & Leo Chern Sid Lewis’ Jammin’ 101 The Cuban Cowboys Tommy Emmanuel Troika Folk Dance Band Wailing Souls Wilson Triplets Yeh Dede 2008 Baka Beyond Bat Makumba Big Bad Voodoo Daddy California Guitar Trio Chic Gamine David Bromberg With Angel Band David Lindley Dobet Gnahore Done Gone String Band Emeline Michel Fishtank Ensemble George Kahumoku Haale Handsome Little Devils Jabali Acrobats Joe Craven Khac Chi Mariee Sioux Moira Smiley & Voco Morley Moshav Ozomatli Redhead Strunz & Farah Tcheka Wailin’ Jennys And MANY more!